Through the Bars
by DustyStars
Summary: "If he hadn't called Layton... he shuddered to think what he would have done." Set a week after the events of Lost Future, Clive is in jail when he gets a visitor.


The rain pattered down the tiny window pane, dripping slowly like painful tears. The bars across the window blocked their paths from view every now and then as they made their way down to the bottom of the glass and pooled into mini puddles. The only person there to watch this natural wonder was Clive Dove alone in his cell, eyes full of similar tears he refused to let fall. He wondered at the unfairness of the world, why there were always some people who got all they wanted and more, whilst there were others who got everything taken away from them. He had lost his parents and his home years ago, and now it felt as though his freedom and sanity had been ripped from him.

Even now he wasn't entirely sure what had made him call Layton to his aid when the professor was obviously able to foil his plan. Ever since that terrible day he had planned his revenge-after the shock had died down at least- and he didn't know when he had begun to realise the foolishness of the idea. That was when he started factoring the professor into his plans, unable to let go of the idea of revenge completely but subconsciously throwing himself a lifeline. He had been too far gone, too caught up in revenge to stop.

And now he was paying the price for his irrationality, his inability to stop himself from plotting mass destruction. If he hadn't called Layton… he shuddered to think what he would have done. After that he would have lost himself completely.

He was drawn out of his dark thoughts by a metallic clang from the end of the corridor he had already become accustomed to. It only took a few days of staring at the same walls all day to feel like he had been there forever.

He sighed. Whoever it was must be for him; he was kept in solitary under maximum security and there was nobody else who merited that privilege at the moment. Apart from the guards, he was utterly alone again.

He rose painfully from his bed, wincing as the bruises reminded him once again of what he had tried to do, and stiffly walked over to the bars on his cell to face his visitors. What he didn't expect was the small form of Luke Triton, the very person who he had impersonated himself only a week ago. He was looking down and he seemed tiny next to the two security guards escorting him. His signature blue cap was pulled down low over his forehead, obscuring most of his face and his eyes were downcast. The last time Clive had seen him was just before he had been arrested, stood close to Flora looking as though his world was falling apart. Who knew, the kid had put up with a lot recently, maybe it was too much for him.

"Here he is," said one of the guards as they reached Clive. "Careful now, we don't know what he could do."

Clive allowed himself a wry smile. Of course, he would be forever known as the man who tried to destroy London. It was only natural they would be wary. The guards retreated to the far end of the corridor and Luke looked up at Clive awkwardly.

"Um. Hi, Clive," he said quietly.

Clive smiled. He was honestly glad to see Luke again; he had been cut off from the outside world down here and over the short time they had spent together he had grown fond of the boy.

"Hello, Luke. It's nice of you to come and visit me. I didn't think any of you would ever want to see me again after…" He trailed off.

Luke smiled, but it was thin and not normal. "It took me a while to convince them I was okay to come here, but I did it. Uh," he paused, slightly reddening. "The professor, um, doesn't know I'm here, and neither does Flora…"

Clive could have guessed as much. The professor probably wouldn't want Luke to have any contact with him again and would certainly not want him wandering around a prison on his own.

"So why go to all the trouble then, Luke?" he asked the boy. "You know what I did, everyone does. The more I think about it, the more foolish it sounds. I wasn't the only one who lost something."

Luke stood there watching him with a small frown on his face. He opened his mouth, then closed it before taking a breath and saying, "I know why you did it, Clive, I understand what drove you and I'm not blaming you. I don't need you to explain yourself to me; I came because I genuinely wanted to see you. I miss you, Clive. We all do. Even the professor, he doesn't say anything but I can tell he's on your side. He doesn't blame you. Surely you know that after what he said to you in the park."

That was good news then. At last, Clive needed good news right now. "And Flora? I mean I hardly know the girl but I am sorry for what I did to her. She shouldn't have been treated like that."

Luke looked down. "She seems OK, but I don't think she took too kindly to being locked up…"

"Ah."

There was a silence. Luke shuffled his feet slightly before looking at Clive again. "Bill Hawks is on trial," he blurted out quickly. "And he's lost his job. Dimitri talked and the truth came out. I just- I thought you might want to know."

Clive jerked upright, hardly daring to believe it.

For the first time in ten years, he felt happy. Truly happy, not the insignificant emotion he felt sometimes. Of course he had known the person responsible for destroying his life all along and finally… justice. Luke took an awkward step backwards and Clive realised he was probably doing his insane act again and grinning manically. Any moment he would start his evil laugh and get carted straight off to an asylum. He checked himself and allowed the happy fire to burn beneath the surface instead of on it. The person responsible for so much sorrow and anger was finally getting what had been coming to him all along.

He smiled at the bearer of the good news again and all the tension that had been lingering over them disappeared suddenly. Luke let out a big breath and mirrored the smile before they moved together and hugged each other through the bars.

They spend the next hour talking. Talking of what had happened recently, what might happen in the future, what everyone was doing and speculating as to where Pavel would end up next. As the sun slid lower down in the sky, the guards arrived requesting Luke's absence. He slowly rose from the chair he had pulled up and placed it against the wall regretfully before turning to Clive, who was dejectedly heading back to his bed, resigned to another night locked up like an animal.

"Clive?"

He turned back to see Luke's eyes filling with tears.

"What is it, Luke?" he asked in alarm as he hurried back the child. "Did I do something wrong?"

"N-no," Luke said thickly as he blinked back the moisture. "It's just… life is so unfair, and there are people who get everything they want and more, but there are others who get everything taken away from them. They never do anything wrong but still lose things. You shouldn't be here, Clive."

"Oh, I think I should Luke. It's what I deserve and no matter what you or the professor think, it doesn't change that fact. Now go before he finds you've gone." Clive averted his eyes from the intense stare the boy was giving him and made to move back to the bed.

"I'll come back tomorrow, Clive," Luke whispered. "I promise. I'll come every day until you get out."

"No you won't Luke. I'm not worth it." Clive could feel himself sinking into a black abyss of self-hatred once again. He barely registered Luke opening his satchel and getting a parcel out of it.

"You are," said Luke. "Take this, you forgot it."

Then Luke turned and ran down the corridor and out of sight, leaving Clive alone in his cell with his parcel. Slightly curious, he went to his bed to open it.

Inside was his blue hat. For the first time in ten years, Clive Dove cried.


End file.
